It's one of the first questions any business owner asks. And it's almost impossible to get a straight answer, because the range is enormous. A website can cost next to nothing or it can cost £50,000. Both statements are true.
So here's the honest version.
The three options and what they actually cost
Most UK businesses end up choosing one of three routes: build it yourself on a platform like Wix or Squarespace, hire a freelancer, or go to an agency. They suit different situations and different budgets.
| Route | Upfront cost | Ongoing monthly | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY (Wix, Squarespace) | £0–£200 | £13–£79 | Very early stage, tight budget |
| Freelancer | £500–£3,000 | £0–£150 | Established business, bespoke needs |
| Agency | £3,000–£15,000+ | £100–£500+ | Complex sites, large teams, ongoing campaigns |
DIY platforms cost between £13 and £79 a month depending on the plan. There's no big upfront fee, which makes them look attractive. The problem is that you're renting, not owning. You're also limited to whatever the platform allows, and those limits show up fast once your business starts growing.
A freelancer typically charges between £500 and £3,000 for a small business site. That price varies depending on experience, location, and what you actually need. At the lower end you're getting something fairly basic. At the higher end you should be getting a site built properly from scratch, with SEO foundations baked in, mobile design that works, and features that fit your business rather than a template.
Agencies start from around £3,000 and go well beyond £10,000 for anything complex. You're paying for a team, a process, and usually a project manager sitting between you and the people doing the work. For some businesses that's exactly right. For most independent businesses in Suffolk, it's more than you need.
The hidden cost of going cheap
The £13 a month figure looks reasonable until you add it up. Three years on the plan you actually need for a professional site works out well over £1,400, before you've paid for any premium apps, extra storage, or the hours spent managing it yourself.
Then there's the ceiling problem. Template platforms cannot do everything. If your business needs a booking system that works a specific way, a custom calculator, or anything that doesn't exist as a ready-made plugin, you're stuck. You either compromise on what your site does, or you eventually pay to rebuild it somewhere else. That rebuild always costs more than starting right the first time.
What bespoke actually means
At Fox Line Studio, projects start from £1,500. That's not a template with your logo dropped in. It's a site built from scratch in clean code, designed around how your business actually works.
Proper SEO is built in from day one, not bolted on afterwards. The mobile design works on a 320px screen, not just squeezed down from a desktop layout. Features do what your business needs them to do. And once the final payment clears, you own it outright. No monthly platform fee, no being held to ransom if prices go up.
For most independent businesses, that's the sweet spot. You're not paying agency rates for a team you don't need. You're getting something built properly, by someone who understands the local market.
The question worth asking
Everyone focuses on the upfront number. The better question is what the site costs you if it doesn't work. Missed enquiries. Customers who leave because the page loaded too slowly. Google rankings you never reach because the foundations were never laid properly.
A website that does its job pays for itself. One that doesn't is expensive whatever you paid for it.
If you want a straight conversation about what your business actually needs, get in touch. No pitch, no pressure.